Jude Gallagher gunning for silver at World Youth Championships
16-year-old Tyrone light flyweight Jude Gallagher will look to upgrade his World Youth [Under 18] Championships bronze medal to silver tomorrow morning [Tuesday] in Budapest.
The Irish men’s team captain is the seven-strong squad’s sole medallist after guaranteeing a podium finish back on Saturday.
Following two wins, the Newtownstewart fighter boxes in the semi-finals in Hungary versus Thai fighter Thitisan Panmod – an Asian Youth bronze and silver medallist.
The fight, which you can watch below, will take place at 11:15am (Irish time).
Tomorrow’s fight is the latest of a massive year for the Two Castles teenager who won European Youth bronze in April along with his seventh, eighth, and ninth Irish titles. Impressively, the Ulster youngster remains in this age category next year.
Gallagher has won two fights in the tournament thus far, defeating Asian Youth bronze medallist Zhao Renxue of China and PanAmerican Youth silver medallist Rolando Bianchi of Brazil on unanimous decisions.
An Irish male fighter has not won a World Youth semi final since 2010 when Joe Ward and Ryan Burnett both progressed to the finals in Sofia – with Ward taking gold.
The only other Irish boxers who have reached World Youth finals are Ray Moylette, Jamie Kavanagh, Andy Lee, Eamonn Magee, Eamonn Loughran, and Harry Cunningham.
Panmod will pose a huge challenge for Gallagher if he is to join this esteemed group, his toughest test thus far. The South East Asian has progressed to this stage with unanimous decision wins over Filipino and Indian boxers.
Two Irish fighters have already been eliminated from these championships by Thais and the rising amateur boxing nation will be bringing home four medals from Hungary.
The corresponding semi, the bout preceding Gallagher’s, pits Asian Youth champ Makhmud Sabyrkhan of Kazakhstan against PanAmerican champion Paul Jan Rivero of Puerto Rico.
You can watch Jude Gallagher’s World Youth Championships semi-final in full below at 11:15am (Irish time):
